Toothbrush with creasable handle



Q F11 l.

H. ISKOE TOOTHBRUSH WITH CREASABLE HANDLE Filed Nov. 21, 1945 Oct. 31,1950 Fig. 4-.

Fag. 5

#0 ward [skoe u orncg Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,527,931 TOOTHBRUSH WITH CREASABLE HANDLE Howard Iskoe, Philadelphia,Pa.

Application November 21, 1945, Serial No. 630,002

1 Claim.

This invention relates to dental hygiene, and more particularly, relatesto a disposable toothbrush adapted to be dispensed in association with apaper cup from a coin-operated automatic vending machine.

Good dental hygiene requires frequent brushingof the teeth, particularlyafter eating foods which have a tendency to accumulate in theinterstices between the teeth. Such deposits should be removed as soonas possible. Because it is inconvenient to carry a toothbrush and toothpaste or powder on the person, most people tolerate the presence offoreign matter on or between the teeth until such time as access totheir personal lavatory facilities is expedient, generally not beforeretiring for the night. This situation could be remedied by providing inpublic lavatories, such as those in restaurants, theaters and the like,inexpensive disposable facilities for cleansing the teeth.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a paper cup containinga disposable toothbrush and a modicum of tooth powder, adapted to bedispensed from a coin-operated automatic vending machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide an extremely cheaptoothbrush which is durable enough to be used at least once.

A further object of my invention is to provide a, disposable toothbrushin which the body and handle are made of paper or cardboard.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a toothbrush having ahandle adapted to be curled whereby the toothbrush may be fitted intothe bottom of a paper cup.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from theensuing description and claim, the following sets forth the details ofconstruction and combination of parts of a specific embodiment of myinvention which 1 illustrate as an example, and which will best beunderstood when read. in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich Fig. 1 is a side view of the toothbrush of my invention showingthe handle flattened out.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the toothbrush of Fig. 1.

Fig 3 is a side View of the toothbrush of Fig. 1 showing the handlefolded for longitudinal stiffening.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a paper cup with my disposabletoothbrush curled up in the bottom.

Fig. 6 is an elevational external view of a stack of paper cups similarto the one shown in Fig. 5, each containing a toothbrush, illustratingthe '2 manner in which the cups are stacked for vending.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a toothbrush ill having a bodyportion I2 of cardboard about three-eighths of an inch wide andonequarter inch thick. Integrally attached to and extendinglongitudinally from the bottom of one end of the body l2 for a distanceof approximatel four inches is a flat handle l4 comprising a strip ofheavy paper or light cardboard about threequarters of an inch wide.Between the body l2 and the handle 14 there is a neck portion in whichthe body i2 is gradually thinned out to the thickness of the handle andgradually widened to the i width of the handle. Two rows of tufts l8 ofbristles are cemented into suitable apertures in the body l2.

A narrow longitudinal depression is impressed medially in the top flatside of the handle M for its full length to form a folding line orgroove 20. When the handle I4 is creased or folded along the foldingline 20 so that it is V-shaped in transverse section as shown in Figs. 3and 4, sufficient stiffness or rigidity is imparted t the handle topermit the toothbrush to be wielded in the usual fashion. Adjacent theneck portion which forms the transition between the body 12 and thehandle M, the folding of the outer edges of the handle begins before theneck portion is thinned down longitudinally to the thickness of thehandle. This provides requisite rigidity between the bod I2 and thecreased handle. To oppose the tendency of water to soften or wilt thepaper or cardboard body and handle, these parts are suitably waxed. Thispermits the toothbrush to be usedfor a considerable time before the bodyor handle softens to the point of uselessness.

For vending purposes, the toothbrush It with the handle I4 flat orunfolded, is curled up into a ring or cylinder and placed in the bottomof a paper cup 22 of the customary conical frustum shape with a rolledlip 24. Fig. 6 shows a group of such paper cups 20, each containing atoothbrush, stacked for dispensing in the customary manner from thewell-known coin-operated automatic cup-vending machines (notillustrated) which release the lowermost cup when operation is initiatedby insertion of the proper coin. For facility in handling, the cups 20may have a suitable conical angle such that they will stack with aslight degree of adherence while leaving space for a toothbrush In ineach cup.

A small quantity of tooth powder or paste wrapped in a container 30 ofpaper or cellophane is placed in the bottom of each cup along with thetoothbrush [0.

It is evident that the combination of paper cup, inexpensive disposabletoothbrush and modicum of tooth powder or paste, can be vended byautomatic machines for a sum small enough to meet the purse of mostpersons.

Although I have shown my toothbrush as having a single folding line orgroove, it is within the scope of my invention to have a multiplicity ofparallel folds in the handle, for example so that it is W-shaped insteadof V-shaped as shown in Fig. 4. Also, the folding line or lines may beformed by perforations or like well-known means for predisposing thehandle M to be readily creased into any desired folded shape.Furthermore, it should be understood that although illustrated as havingtwo rows of four tufts of bristles, my toothbrush may be provided withas few or as many tufts as desired.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as otherembodiments will be evident to those skilled in the art, as well asobvious modifications in construction and arrangement without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

A toothbrush comprising a pliable cardboard strip handle creasable forlongitudinal stiffening, a bristled stiff body substantially thicker andnarrower than said handle, and a neck portion uniting said handle andsaid body and forming a transition between them, said neck portion beinggradually thinned out and widened from the body toward the handle in amanner to permit the thinned outer edges of the neck adjacent the handleto be bent when the handle is creased, whereby to provide rigiditybetween the body and the handle when the handle is creased.

HOWARD ISKOE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 758,764 Macleod May 3, 19041,500,722 Roush July 8, 1924 1,611,640 Janus Dec. 21, 1926 1,618,475Read Feb. 22, 1927 1,619,946 Magee Mar. 8, 1927 1,636,836 Read July 26,1927 1,724,516 Remedios Aug. 13, 1929 1,796,001 Church Mar. 10, 19311,886,024 Janssen Nov. 1, 1932 2,031,990 Turner Feb. 25, 1936 2,077,758Johnson et a1 Apr. 20, 1937 2,167,761 Levin et a1. Aug. 1, 19392,179,160 Peters Nov. 7, 1939 2,324,789 Mayeux July 20, 1943 2,405,029Gallanty et a1. July 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date329,537 Italy Sept. 11, 1935

